


The New Zealand Slackers

by Vyc



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Baseball, Betazoid, Cricket, F/M, Friendship, Gen, I know this isn't all that canon-compliant for Federation penal colonies, Klingons, Maquis, New Zealand, Vulcan, but humour me here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-29
Updated: 2019-10-29
Packaged: 2021-01-08 05:29:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21230585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vyc/pseuds/Vyc
Summary: Kasidy hadn't expected that her first visit to Earth would be as the newest inmate at New Zealand Penal Settlement. Still--at least she knew how to keep herself entertained.





	The New Zealand Slackers

**Author's Note:**

> *wrestles executive dysfunction to the ground*
> 
> So this is an old fic I gave a bit of a polish to over the past...months, written because it bothered me that once again, a really neat female character had gotten written out of the show. I thought it would be fun for me to see what she got up to, and I hope it's fun for you all, too.

So here she was: on Earth for the first time in her life. Kasidy couldn't say this was how she'd been planning on visiting it, mind you, but it wasn't as though she had much say in that.

New Zealand Penal Settlement didn't look like a bad place. It was a little on the warm side, more than a little, sure, but from what she'd seen on her way here, it was beautiful. Of course, that would probably wear off fast.

The first words she heard from one of her fellow inmates seemed to confirm that impression.

"Hey, slacker.”

Kasidy turned from where she was surveying a field of . . . something green to find a tall Klingon woman addressing her. 

"Are you too sun-dazed to remember what work is?" the woman went on.

"I'm getting oriented," she called back, taking no offence. "It's my first day."

"How fortunate for you." 

The Klingon left the shin-high row of green things and headed toward her; Kasidy ambled forward to meet her.

When she was close enough, the other woman held out her hand. Either she'd spent time around humans, was an accommodating kind of person, or both. Kasidy was guessing the former. 

"Azetbur, daughter of Doran."

Kasidy shook her hand firmly, but not firmly enough to be challenging. "Kasidy Yates."

“Why are you here?”

She had the feeling she was going to be pretty tired of answering this question before the week was out, but right now, she didn't mind. "I was smuggling medical supplies for the Maquis on my transport ship."

"Are you a sympathiser?" 

She took a brief moment to set up her answer. Not knowing anything about Azetbur meant things might get a bit dicey. "I sympathise with people who need medical supplies and can't get them."

Suddenly, Azetbur's frown turned into a grin. "A diplomat's answer. You will have no need of that here: New Zealand Penal Settlemenet is where many Maquis sympathisers are sent. I am one myself. Or was," she added with an overly large look about.

"Oh?" she asked, a grin of her own spreading as she set a hand on her hip. "Then what are you here for?"

"I was a courier for the Maquis. I sympathise with people who need to send things and can't deliver them."

Kasidy laughed for what felt like the first time in weeks. "Is that right? Well, aren't you a noble soul?"

"The noblest." Azetbur turned to walk off. "Enjoy your orientation, Captain Yates."

"You too, Captain Azetbur."

Azetbur turned back long enough to say, "Doctor."

Well, well. Kasidy watched Azetbur go back to her row of Whatever-It-Wases. It looked as though she was going to have an interesting time here in New Zealand.

*

As it turned out, life at the penal settlement wasn't bad. She got tired of answering questions long before everyone got tired of asking them, like she'd predicted, but she kept herself patient. She was new and a source of interest, and that was just how things were.

What she hadn't predicted was that she actually liked the mandatory counselling. It was nice to get some things off her chest, even if she tended to steer the conversation towards her relationship with Ben, rather than what led her to deliver supplies for the Maquis in the first place. Counsellor Merindah was calm and patient; she seemed more like a comforting aunt than a Starfleet employee. Kasidy suspected that came in handy with some of the less guarded residents of the penal settlement—but she couldn't help liking Merindah anyway.

The work was better. Running her own business meant she was used to working up a sweat, even if carpentry wasn't exactly her usual. But the settlement needed a new storage shed and someone had to do it, so it might as well be her.

"Hello there, Dr. Azetbur," she called out on her way to get more nails.

Azetbur rose where she had been weeding her plants (she really needed to find out what they were). "Captain Yates. Have you been oriented yet?"

"Sure have. Right into carpentry duty."

Azetbur snorted. "Have Starfleet explained why they do not use industrial replicators yet?"

"Uh-huh. I'm pretty sure this isn't the message they wanted me to take away, but it sounds like it's to keep us all busy."

"Correct. I cannot say what would be more boring: doing nothing or doing this." 

Kasidy wandered closer. That was the nice thing about this place—as long as you got the job done, Starfleet didn't mind if you took a few breaks. "So what are you doing, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Growing barley. I look forward to drinking it when it is finally large enough." Azetbur glared at the plants, as if ordering them to grow faster.

"What are you thinking of turning it into?"

"Beer. It will be good to sit in the shade and drink it with a friend."

It was a lot to presume, but: "I don't suppose you'd save me a glass, now, would you?"

Azetbur looked at her, eyes narrowed just a bit. "Perhaps."

Well, it was a start. Time to change drives. "So what are you a doctor of?"

"Astrophysics." Azetbur raised her chin.

"Is that right? Where did you study? On Qo'noS?"

"At the University of al-Qarawiyyin." She bared her teeth in a bit more aggressive of a smile than Kasidy had seen before from her. "In Morocco."

"Really? Why there?"

"And not on Qo'noS? Simple. Humans have valued science longer than Klingons. Your universities are better."

Things were starting to make sense now. "You wouldn't happen to have dual citizenship, would you?"

The smile grew. "Very good. You're a smart one."

"I had been wondering what a Klingon was doing in a Federation prison," she said with a shrug.

"Allow me to provide you with a tip, as a reward for your cleverness: when presented with the choice between a Federation prison and any other, choose the Federation one. It's better to be bored than dead, or worse."

"I can't say I've heard too many Klingons say that before."

She'd kept her tone light to match Azetbur's, but the other woman's chin went up again all the same.

"The Klingons you hear from are the noisiest. One of my favourite sayings I've learned in my time on Earth covers it best—the empty vessel. . . ."

". . . Makes the loudest sound," Kasidy finished and laughed; Azetbur relaxed. "We have something like that out on Cestus III. Seems like there's a lot of loud noises all across the quadrant."

"So it does," Azetbur agreed.

"I'd better go get my nails." She stepped back, careful not to crush any plants. "And you'd better get back to weeding. That beer isn't going to grow itself."

"True. And if it does not grow, I will not be able to share it with anyone." She raised her heavy brows in a Human gesture of significance.

Kasidy smiled. "And that would be a real shame. See you around."

*

A few days later, she got her first transmission from Ben since she arrived. Watching it undid a knot between her shoulders she'd been carrying for a long while. Ben seemed a little less stiff this time, more like his usual self as he shared news from the station—though not as much from his personal life as he would have before she got herself in this mess.

That was up to Jake, who dropped in for the last third of the message. In contrast with his father, Jake was bubbling over. Apparently, another of his short stories had just been accepted for publication. It wasn't anything major, but Jake was as delighted as if he'd landed a book deal. She'd make sure to congratulate him when she recorded her return message before bed.

When she went back to work, she was humming.

*

"You are not as tense," Azetbur noted at lunch the next day.

"I hadn't been aware that I was tense," Kasidy answered and took a bite of her fresh, non-replicated apple. That was one thing she was going to miss when she got out: this was the best food she'd had in her life. Pretty funny that she had to go to prison to get it.

"You had been. Sometimes when you were working, I thought you were turning into a Klingon." She tapped her own ridged forehead.

Kasidy grinned. "I wouldn't mind the boost in strength if it would help me get those walls done."

She been offered the chance to transfer to a financial position—one of the people who'd been in charge of keeping the settlement in the black had just finished her sentence—but she'd turned it down. She had a real head for figures and experience, sure, but the shed had already become her project, and she intended to finish it. Maybe she'd put in for that job when she was done. 

"I heard from my partner, Ben," she went on. "He's been a bit distant since I was arrested—and small wonder, since he was the one to arrest me. But he's starting to warm up again. His son, Jake, has been his sweet self all along, though, so it hasn't been too bad."

"You are fortunate.”

That made her pause.

". . . Mmhmm?"

She knew Azetbur well enough by now to be able to pick the right approach, and not pushing was it.

"Yes. My partner was not so loyal." Azetbur gave her own apple a particularly hard bite.

And Kasidy sighed. “I'm sorry to hear that."

She took a chance and set a hand on Azetbur's forearm. Her friend jerked, but didn't pull away. She also didn't look at her.

"Don't be. If she would choose tradition over loyalty, I am happier to have learned that before I asked her to become my wife."

. . . Poor Azetbur. "I didn't know it was tradition to break off relations when your partner went to jail."

"It isn't." At last Azetbur looked at her. "It is traditional for Klingons to choose death over imprisonment. Obviously, I did not follow tradition."

And up went her eyebrows. "So are you telling me there aren't any prisons on Qo'noS?"

"No. They exist. Some Klingons interpret the dictate to refer to capture during wartime. Only the most orthodox houses follow the tradition in all cases." Azetbur bared her teeth. "Though Kolko was unorthodox enough to become the partner of a Klingon astrophysicist living on Earth, it seems the call of her house was too strong to ignore in the end." 

She let go of Azetbur's arm and bumped her with her shoulder instead. "Remind me to introduce you to a game from Earth's history on our next break. It wouldn't be a bad way to work off a little anger."

Azetbur looked at her again, eyelids low. "What is it?"

Kasidy couldn't help her smile.

"Baseball."

*

It took a while to put together enough players for a team. Even if, as Azetbur put it, baseball was better than boredom, persuading the other inmates of the settlement to put their free time into learning an old-fashioned Earth game instead of enjoying what they already knew was a real challenge. Getting permission from prison administration to introduce a game that involved hitting things with large aluminium bats was also something of a challenge.

But gradually their team grew. Practice became a lot more fun once there were more than two or three people involved; once they could start adding a little strategy, passerby turned into onlookers. And onlookers sometimes became recruits.

And the day a Human woman from Luna approached her and Azetbur at lunch and announced her intention to start up a rival team? Well, that was the best day she'd had in weeks.

"The game will be much more interesting now," Azetbur observed once the new captain, Sarangerei, strode away confidently. "Everything, whether sports or academics, is more interesting with a rival."

"You can say that again," Kasidy answered. It looked as though she was going to need to step up her recruitment efforts.

Hm, come to think of it. . . .

"Say, are you busy after lunch?"

"No more than I always am. Why do you ask?"

"I saw someone this morning who would be an excellent addition to our team."

Azetbur scooped up an extra-large mouthful of tajini and swallowed it. "Eat fast. If you have noticed this person, Sarangerei will soon."

"Good point."

She started shovelling down her replicated hasperat.

*

The real fun started once word got out that their recruitment effort had been a success.

"This is unfair!" Londrus, the Betazoid shortstop for Sarangerei's team, protested.

"I don't see what's so unfair about it," Kasidy said easily. "If your team had asked first, she'd be on your side, not ours. Right, Sakonna?"

"That is correct," Sakonna replied.

"But she's a Vulcan! She has a natural advantage. You already have a Klingon on your team—you don't need her."

"A Klingon astrophysicist," Azetbur pointed out, arms folded. "Physical activity has never been one of my skills."

"Whereas, if I'm remembering correctly, your pitcher played cricket for India a few years back," Kasidy added.

Lakshmi, the pitcher in question, smiled. “More than a few years, but yes, you are remembering correctly."

"So there you have it," Kasidy said. "It sounds to me as though everything is perfectly fair."

Before Londrus could complain further, he was interrupted by Sarangerei arriving. She spent only a second taking them in before sighing. "Londrus, I told you: the matter is settled."

At last, Londrus deflated—though not all the way. His shoulders may have dropped, but his arms were still crossed. "If you say so."

"I do say so." Sarangerei faced Kasidy. "It looks like we're both a couple of players away from having full teams. Have you found a place for us to have our first match?"

"I was thinking the back field. No one's using it this season, I hear."

"I'll clear it with the authorities and let you know. See you later."

Off she went, followed by her teammates.

Before they had quite left earshot, Azetbur snorted. "Sarangerei must be desperate if she has accepted him onto her team."

Kasidy watched Londrus stiffen, but luckily he kept walking instead of complaining more.

"Hey now, we haven't seen him play it," she warned. "Having an opponent who can read your mind is going to be a real challenge."

Sakonna turned her attention back to them. "Is he not aware that there is no benefit to victory and no penalty for defeat?"

"He's aware there's no material gain—or he ought to be, anyway," Kasidy added. "I'm guessing it's a pride thing. He just wants bragging rights for winning."

"Most illogical. Such an emotional state will interfere with his judgment, increasing the likelihood of his team's loss."

"Don't tell him that," Azetbur said. "It will give us an advantage."

"What are you talking about?" Kasidy punched her friend in the arm. "We don't need any advantages. We're going to beat them into the ground."

"Your observation lacks supporting evidence," Sakonna commented.

"It sure does," Kasidy answered cheerfully. "Now come on, before we get harassed for slacking off."

*

It didn't take more than a few days for both teams to pick up their last few players. Finally, they could start playing some baseball.

They actually picked up a few spectators for their first game, more than Kasidy had expected. Then again, there wasn't _that_ much to do at the penal settlement, and the sight of eighteen people in old-fashioned costume heading in the same direction was worth a follow. 

It had taken a while to get everyone on board with wearing the traditional uniforms of the Boston Red Sox, but it was worth it. And when Sarangerei showed up with her team dressed as the New York Yankees, Kasidy had nearly started wheezing from laughter.

The spectators themselves were a bit of a problem, but there was no way Kasidy was going to tell them to get moving. They spooked some of their newest players, all right, but it just wasn't baseball without cheers and applause. If anything, Kasidy herself was having the opposite problem: she'd gotten spoiled going to the games out on Cestus III. It was so quiet here it was hard to concentrate.

But not so hard that the New Zealand Slackers weren't able to snatch a 4-3 victory against the Auckland Magpies in the bottom of the eighth. 

Her team more than made up for the lack of noise by the end of the game, whooping and dancing and jumping about so much, anyone would think they'd all been paroled. Sarangerei's team joined in after a while, even Londrus, and at the end both teams and their spectators went off to celebrate with some of Azetbur's beer.

It was a good day . . . but somehow, Kasidy didn't think she and the team ought to get used to victory. But that was all right. It made this one all the sweeter.

*

The number of spectators grew with each game, until she and Sarangerei both started having people come up to them afterwards, asking how to play. At first, the newcomers just wanted to join their teams, but as more and more people showed interest, eventually, a Bajoran woman named Chereen stepped up to gather everyone into their own team. And then someone else did the same.

Soon, they had their own league. Not a large one, not exactly a skilled one, but she couldn't be prouder than if they were all a pack of professionals.

Everything was going great—not just for her, but for Azetbur, too. It was just hard to stay cheery when things going great for Azetbur meant that her sentence was up. 

The plan was for the whole team to see her off the morning of her departure, and Kasidy wouldn't miss it for anything. But . . . she wanted to say her own goodbye alone.

Azetbur had been expecting something of the sort, judging from her lopsided smile when Kasidy stopped her en route to her quarters the night before.

"I hope you will not cry. I know you will shed tears at the slightest provocation, but try to restrain yourself."

Kasidy smiled. Azetbur was referring to the previous week: she'd taken a baseball to the head and had wound up with a wicked concussion, but she sure as hell hadn't cried. Instead, she'd cursed so thoroughly, even Londrus had been impressed.

"I'll try to keep myself under control. No promises, though." In spite of her best efforts, the smile dropped from her face. "Still planning on going back to your old job?"

"It will have to be a new job. I doubt I will be allowed to captain a research ship for years to come. Not unless I behave myself very, very well."

"And are you planning on behaving yourself very, very well?"

"Of course." She may have sounded affronted, but her smile said otherwise. "You insult me with your doubt."

"Sorry I asked."

They went silent. The evening breeze rustled the nearby trees.

"I'm going to miss you."

Azetbur's voice was low. "I will miss you as well. I lost many friends when I was arrested. Your friendship meant much to me. It will always mean much to me."

There was nothing for it but to hug Azetbur after a confession like that. She could feel the surprise in her friend's body as she tensed up for just a moment before hugging her back.

"I'm just lucky you decided to harass some slacker into getting back to work." She squeezed tight with her arms. "You keep in touch, all right? If I don't hear from you at least once before I get out, I'm coming to find you."

"It is a deal. And you should watch your back if I do not hear from you in return."

“I'm planning on it.”

*

Getting tipsy on plenty of shared beer helped Kasidy leave Azetbur for the night, and gave her something to blame her soppiness on. She only wished she had the excuse the next day, the moment she saw Azetbur in her Red Sox cap, waiting for all of them to come say goodbye.

Azetbur put on a breezy attitude, but Kasidy wasn't fooled. Azetbur had gotten a lot of new, better friends to replace the ones who had abandoned her. Only someone with a stone for a heart wouldn't be moved by their own personal crowd of wellwishers, and Kasidy knew for a fact that if that described anyone, it sure wasn't Azetbur.

Even though she had all kinds of people surrounding her, when Azetbur stepped into the transport, her last look was for Kasidy. Her friend grinned, and the little waver in it went straight to Kasidy's heart. She beamed right on back, and even if she didn't go have a cry later, she may still have had a sniffle or two.

*

For her last month, more often than not, her messages from Ben and Jake were accompanied by missives from Azetbur. It took her a while to find someone to hire her, but when Kasidy heard she'd found a place with a team studying in the Alwanir Nebula, she couldn't have been happier. It sounded as if Azetbur was getting back on her feet just fine.

She could only hope she'd be so lucky. She'd finally finished up her storage shed and had started the job with settlement finances at last. It was great for getting her hand back in for when she got the _Xhosa_ back, but there was a lot more to running a shipping company than bookkeeping.

Still, there was no sense in worrying. She'd find out whether she'd sink or swim when she got back to it, and that would be that.

*

In the end, her own sendoff was even bigger than Azetbur's. Every single baseball player, most of her coworkers, and a good chunk of spectators came to say goodbye. If she'd ever doubted her impact on New Zealand Penal Settlement, here was the counter argument, spread out before her in all shapes, species, and sizes.

It was hard not to cry, even for someone so practiced in keeping her chin up in the worst circumstances. Sarangerei didn't even try, and when she wrapped up Kasidy in a tight hug, that was nearly it for her hold on her feelings.

But she kept her cheeks dry, even if she couldn't manage the same with her eyes. When she stepped over the threshold of the shuttle to freedom, it was a great moment, sure, but what hit her the hardest was loss. Who would have thought she'd be sorry to leave prison?

Even so, while she may have watched the settlement and all her friends until they were out of sight, once they were gone, she faced ahead in her seat. Time to keep her eyes on what was ahead. She had the feeling there was going to be a lot to watch.

**Author's Note:**

> Come say hi to me on [Pillowfort](https://www.pillowfort.social/feltelures), [Dreamwidth](https://vyctori.dreamwidth.org/), or [tumblr](https://feltelures.tumblr.com/)!


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